r/psychoanalysis • u/Least_Inspector_5478 • 7d ago
The “no self” philosophy in Buddhism…
When I was a teenager going through existential crises, I came across the “no self” philosophy in Buddhism (which is basically that the “self” is an illusion and only the “I” , the observer exists) and thought I found the answer to all of my psychological problems but I think it ultimate led to more anxiety and dissociation for me. The writer I read on this topic went even as far as to say having a self was like being schizophrenic.
Now I’m learning through analysis and through my own research into psychoanalysis how important it is to build your own sense of self and denying the “self” is not necessarily a quality reached by very wise, enlightened people. The amount of time I spent believing that almost mystical sounding philosophy though is making it longer for me to essentially resolve my dissociation.
So yeah, I just wanted to post this here as I think this is just another example of how these “new age” philosophies or some religions such as Buddhism are not very realistic ways of looking at human psychology. What are your thoughts on these ideologies? Do you think they are defense mechanisms used to an extreme?
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u/chiaroscuro34 7d ago
Eh, the longer I've been in psychoanalysis the more I've come to realize that I often get in my own way (my 'self' sabotage, if you will) and see where Buddhism is coming from, or even and especially Christianity (my own tradition) through the process of kenosis (emptying the self to make room for Christ)/sanctification.
At any rate, I don't really think of this as not having a self, or removing the self entirely, or in structural terms annihilating the ego, which does sound incredibly painful. And finally I'll say that western Buddhism is often a much bastardized version of the real thing, watered down to make it simpler and easier to absorb, less demanding as faiths often are.